Habitat Rocky IntERtIdAl Long Island High Energy Actiin Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 59 Treasures Intense wave action among the rocks, exposure to drying air during daily low tides, freezing winter and extreme summer temperatures, freshwater rainfall, and predation create harsh conditions for organisms living in the rocky Long Island intertidal zone. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 60 Treasures Zonation is evident in the rocky intertidal zone - lighter bands of barnacles higher on the rocks give way to darker bands of periwinkle snails, blue mussels, and various seaweeds lower on the rocks. Long Island Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 61 Treasures Rockweeds are brown seaweeds that inhabit the rocky intertidal zone, attaching to the rocks and providing Long Island food and shelter for many organisms. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 62 Treasures Green sea lettuce grows abundantly in nutrient- rich waters, and is grazed upon by snails, crabs, Long Island some fish, and waterfowl. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 63 Treasures deadman’s fingers, or green fleece, is a spongy, thick green algae (seaweed) Long Island that grows subtidally. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 64 Treasures Irish moss is a red algae that grows in dense clumps at the low tide line; it serves as food Long Island and habitat for many other species. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 65 Treasures Grateloupia, another red algae, is a relative newcomer to long Island Sound, growing in shallow subtidal waters; scientists are studying it to determine its impact on the Long Island Sound’s ecosystem. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 66 Treasures Barnacles feed during high tide by waving feathery appendages through the water, sweeping plankton into their mouths; as the tide Long Island recedes, the valves at the top close up tightly. Sound Study Connecticut Living Page 67 Treasures Periwinkles are snails that live in huge numbers in the rocky intertidal area, scraping Long Island algae off the rocks with their radula. Sound Study Connecticut